Interpreting Landscape Plans*
Designs cannot come to life unless they are correctly interpreted.
Communication & Cooperation
Owner, designer, installer, and subcontractors
Basic Features of A Good Landscape Design
A. Few designs include all of the necessary information
B. Symbols and styles are as varied as the designers
C. Some designations have become fairly standard
The following are concepts that are critical to landscape plan interpretation or can help to avoid
costly errors
Orientation Features
A. Perspective
B. Aerial or 'bird's-eye' view
C. Frontal, sectioned, cut-out or side views optional
D. Compass orientation
E. Plant selection
F. Wind direction
G. Lighting angles (sun/shade)
H. Street address
I. Location verification
J. Bench mark
K. Location for survey purposes
L. Elevation for drainage and grade changes
M. Adjacent roads, buildings and property lines
Scale
A.
B.
C.
D.
Without a scale the design is useless!!!
Elucidates the relationship between design and site dimensions
Can be indicated symbolically or in equation form
Typically I = 10 ft., or 1” = 4 ft.
Structures & Traffic Facilitators
A. Existing structures, walks, drives to be retained
B. Structures walks or drives to be installed
C. Indicated by outline with or without fill patterns
D. Concrete = solid or swirled fill
E. Gravel or aggregate = dots or small ovals
F. Bricks = small rectangular blocks, indicate whether or not actual numbers are depicted
G. Stepping stones = irregular enclosed areas corresponding to relative dimensions of stones
H. Existing structures or features to be removed
Location Of Utility Lines
A. Major safety concern!
B. Elevation above or below ground
C. Impacts grade changes, irrigation lines and outdoor lighting
D. Call the local utilities for verification!!! (611 on cell phone)
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Contour Lines
A. Connect points of equal elevation
B. Same interval (vertical change in elevation) throughout the design
C. Never fork
D. Only meet at vertical cliffs
E. Close together = steep slope
F. Widely spaced = gentle slope
G. Not drawn through landscape features
H. Existing topography = Broken lines
I. Proposed changes = Solid lines
Fences and Walls
A. Stone = single or double rows of irregularly rounded blocks
B. Brick = single or double rows of rectangular blocks
C. Metal & Wood = thickened solid or dashed lines interrupted at intervals by open or
closed circles to indicate posts
D. Gates = angled lines in the direction of swing
Decks and Patios
A. Brick, Stone, and Concrete usually depicted as enclosed outlines with similar patterns as
with walks and drives
B. Wood = Enclosed outlines with vertical, horizontal, or slanted lines mimicking the
decking pattern
C. Should include blow-up insets of specific construction features
D. Similar information should be included for raised beds and retaining walls
Amenity Items
Variable by designer
Most commonly illustrated as an outline of the feature from aerial view
Water Features
A. Irregular labeled outlines
B. Sometimes a wave-like fill pattern, but this is also used to designate groundcovers
C. Streams or water courses are often depicted as parallel snake-like lines, with or without
fill
D. Depth information is sometimes included
Plant Materials
Specimen Plants
A. Broad-leaved evergreens = Circles with scalloped edges or rounded lobes
B. Needled evergreens = circles with sharp needle-like or toothed edges
C. Deciduous shrubs = circular symbols with loose irregular outlines
D. Deciduous trees = large circles or circles with half hemispherical indentations
E. Sometimes branching structure is indicated as radiating lines from the center of the circle
F. An 'X' is usually placed a the center of the circle to indicate the location of the crown or
trunk of the plant
G. Where plant canopies overlap, the taller plant is drawn with solid lines, the shorter plant
with broken lines
H. Massed or in Planting Beds
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I.
J.
K.
L.
M.
N.
O.
Grouped symbols as with specimens but enclosed in outlines conforming to the
dimensions of the beds
Indicated as a scaled outlined area with X's for the locations of plant crowns
Number of X's should correspond to the number of plants to be used or this discrepancy
must be noted in the design key
If crown locations are not indicated symbolically spacing and location specifications
within the beds must be included in the design key
Ground covers = often indicated as shading or wavy lines within the outlined area
Vines = often indicated as sausage-like outlines with X's for crown locations at the base
of supporting structures
Remember contour lines are not continued over beds
Design Key
A. Key to all symbols used in the design
B. Critical to accurate design interpretation!!!
C. If symbols for bricks, blocks, etc. in the design do not represent actual required materials
this must be specified
D. Plant materials list
E. Hard-goods materials list
F. Optional, but highly desirable
G. Detailed information
H. Materials specifications
I. Dimensions
J. Installation procedures
Plant Materials List
A. Common names
B. Scientific names
C. Size specifications
D. Number of each species and size class
E. Over-looked information to include:
F. Shipping and handling instructions
G. Installation procedures
H. Post-planting maintenance recommendations
I. Price information is usually not included directly on the design
Note: This document is a modified version of a class handout prepared by:
Dr. Michael A. Arnold
Dept. of Horticultural Sciences
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843-2133
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